A&M PhD students present their work at the AIME Conference

Earlier this month, Assessment and Measurement PhD students and faculty traveled to the Artificial Intelligence in Measurement and Education (AIME) Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Below students reflect on their experience.

Jon Henriques (Second-Year, Assessment and Measurement had a rewarding experience attending his first AIME conference, where he presented his ongoing research, “Validating AI-Simulated Panelists for Standard Setting,” during the poster session. His presentation sparked engaging and insightful conversations with professionals interested in his work. He also reconnected with colleagues, including a Washington State University faculty member who has made substantial contributions to his research and a recent graduate of JMU’s Assessment and Measurement program. Through several panel sessions, Jon gained insight into current applications of AI in the workforce and expectations for new hires. Overall, the conference provided valuable opportunities to share his research, strengthen professional connections, and inform his future work.

Jada Willse (First-Year, Assessment and Measurement PhD Program) attended her first AIME-Con, where she shared her research, contributed to conversations about the future of the field, and connected with other assessment and measurement professionals. She served on a student panel exploring how AI is shaping educational measurement and graduate training, offering her perspective on how programs can prepare students for an evolving workforce. She also presented her thesis research, receiving positive feedback and suggestions that sparked ideas for future work. Presenting provided an opportunity to discuss her findings with others in the field and consider new directions for extending her research. Beyond her presentations, Jada connected with recent program alumna Kelsey Nason and reconnected with her former internship supervisor at NBME. These conversations offered a chance to strengthen professional relationships and learn more about others’ experiences in the field.

Josiah Hunsberger (Fourth-Year, Assessment and Measurement PhD Program) attended AIME-Con and noted that it was a great experience! For him, it was extremely valuable to see cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) in the assessment and measurement field. The conference also provided valuable opportunities to learn from and network with leaders in the field, connect with other researchers and practitioners, and gain a better sense of how different organizations are approaching measurement challenges and innovations involving AI and NLP.